Employment

Tips on Job Hunting

Create & Tailor Your Resume

It is important to think of your resume as your own personal marketing tool. It is the first thing that a potential employer sees and is your means of getting that opportunity to show what you can do. You need to make sure that your resume is relevant for the job that you are going for and is written in a clear and concise manner.

Remember that the person who is reading your resume may also be reviewing another 50 so don’t write too much and focus on your responsibilities and achievements.

Search for the Job

Online

There are some great tools at your disposal that are free. Online media is the quickest and easiest way to search for a job and can help you identify potential companies to work for. The portals that advertise jobs only help you specifically target the area and the job that you want to apply for. LinkedIn is a networking site that allows you to target specific people within certain companies and industries. This is a great tool once you have identified what area you want to work and allows you to cut out the middle man.

In addition to websites, many of the Facebook pages previously mentioned have regular posts about current vacancies.

Recruitment Agencies

Recruitment agencies are a great way of widening your knowledge of the local market and are the main way that companies get temporary staff, which could be a great foot in the door. With recruitment agencies for best results speak with 1-3 and try to make sure that your agent takes time to meet with you.

There are many recruitment agencies operating in Perth, below are just a small selection of these:

Newspapers are still used as a traditional method of advertising for a vacant position and are a great way of finding a trade’s job. Reading the newspaper on a daily bases enhances your industry knowledge & knowledge of the state that you are living in.

The West Australian – Employment opportunities are advertised on a Wednesday & Saturday.

Regional Papers – These papers are great in helping you find rural work.

Networking

An effective way to find a job when first arriving is by networking in the Irish community.

Interview Tips

When it comes to interviewing it is very easy to get nervous and not show your true abilities. Below are just a few tips that will help you stay in control and show your true potential:

Research Company – A potential employer will always be impressed if you have taken the time to learn about their business and it could give you that extra edge against your competition.

Dress appropriately – A good first impression is very important and looking the part will always help.

Listen to the question and answer appropriately

Be aware of your body language – Body language is just as important as dressing appropriately.

Show Interest – Ask lots of questions about the job, the company and also the interviewees.

Salary negotiations

When you are offered a position it is very easy to get excited and accept the first offer that you are made. You could be lucky and it could be the market rate but spend a bit of time beforehand to learn your value to make sure that you are not been taken advantage of.

A good strategy if you don’t have any contacts is to look at salary surveys to benchmark the market as a whole and these are widely available across recruitment agencies:

FIFO involves workers flying to remote mine sites and resource projects to work ten to fourteen hour shifts for two to six weeks at a time. There are many rosters and a wide variety of roles in this sector. The FIFO lifestyle can be hard on families especially, these sites provide information:

To be eligible for a second working holiday visa, one of the major application criteria is to complete three ‘calendar’ months (or 88 days) of specified work in regional Australia while on your first Working Holiday (417) visa. Click here for a full list of criteria and here for information on how to apply for the 2nd year Working Holiday Visa. The work must be completed within an eligible regional postcode area.

Queries on what ‘specified’ work is, calculating how many days you have worked, and providing evidence of work to DIBP, there is a wealth of information on this page.

How to find Regional work?

Visiting the Harvest Trail website you will find information on the different towns and regions, and the crops they produce in any given month. They also have a jobs board on the site, but make sure that the work is completed within an eligible regional Australian postcode area.

The National Harvest Telephone Information Service provides working opportunities in different regions, working conditions and accommodation: 1800 062 332

The Job Shop is a licensed employment agency located in Northbridge, with offices also in the North West of Western Australia in Kununurra. Registering for their services is completely free and you’ll be able to gain access to large database of WA jobs. Check out their website or pay them a visit at First Floor, 236 William Street, Northbridge.

WWOOF- WILLING WORKERS ON ORGANIC FARMS

Work 4-6 hours a day on organic farms, in exchange for food and accommodation. You can find some WWOOF-ing opportunities on Gumtree, or you can buy the WWOOF book for a full list of contacts. Visit: http://www.wwoof.com.au

Do not provide false or misleading information on your application for a second year visa- DIBP are clamping down on these practises. DIBP is well aware of false Australian Business Numbers (ABN) circulating and offers being made of fraudulent documentation. Many Irish people have been deported for this reason alone over recent years. Dishonesty in a visa application or producing false documentation is visa fraud and can lead to prosecution and/or deportation, and a ban on entering Australia in the future. This could also affect any attempts to gain entry to other countries

Employment Rights

All employees in Australia including overseas workers are covered by the Fair Work Act 2009.

The amount you are entitled to be paid depends on factors including which state or territory you work in, your age, what award you are covered by, and the details of your workplace agreement.

Your rights

Your employer must pay you regularly

Your employer must not make deductions from your salary (other than for tax purposes) without your permission.

You have the right to work in a safe and healthy workplace.

If you have been injured at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation.

Your employer cannot treat you unfavourably or dismiss you because you make an inquiry or complaint about your employment (to your employer or to anyone else) or because you seek to enforce your rights.

Changing employers on a 457 sponsorship visa

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­A number of important new changes in the 457 visa program came into effect from 1st July 2013, including the time period for Subclass 457 holders to find a new sponsor or to depart Australia, if they cease employment with their sponsoring employer, is extended to 90 consecutive days.

If you are on a subclass 457 visa and you want to change your employer or occupation you are not required to apply for a new visa.

You must be nominated by your proposed new employer and have that nomination approved first before you can start working for a new employer or in a new occupation. You will be in breach of your visa if you start working before this has been approved & your visa may be cancelled.

You should also note that the approval of a new nomination only allows you to change your employer or occupation. It does not extend the term of your subclass 457 visa nor change the conditions that are attached to your subclass 457 visa. Click here for more information

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid visa to remain in Australia at all times. To check the visa conditions and expiry date of your visa, please refer to the department’s website.

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